32. Cillian
thirty-two
Cillian
The Next Morning
It’s still early. I’m alone in the suite, exhausted, and surrounded by the remnants of my passionate night with Ivy.
Squished rose petals are scattered across the floor. The champagne glasses are still half-full of sparkling cider. Soft music continues to play on a loop in the background. The room smells of sex, sweat, my cologne and her perfume. I breathe in deeply.
Us .
A few minutes ago, Ivy went downstairs to have breakfast with her parents and the Italian friends. They’d planned the day long before our reunion last night and while she was reluctant to go, it’s her only day to play tourist.
While I miss her already, it gives me time to collect my thoughts. Come up with a plan.
I sit on the bed and memories of our night play vividly in my mind. The way we spent hours exploring each other. The way her pussy responded to me as if no time had passed at all. How our bodies moved as one. We were up all night reconnecting.
Every kiss, every touch, every breath was a reminder of the love we share and the future we’ll have together.
The images of Ivy and I fucking take over and before I know it, my cock stands at attention. Jesus . It’s possessed by the mere thought of her. I jack it gingerly because I’m sore. Facts are facts, though, nothing will satiate my burning desire for her. I need release.
I close my eyes and picture myself pushing into Ivy’s tight opening. Her swollen clit quivers under my thumb. She plucks her puckered nipples as my cock fills her and retreats. Fills and retreats. Fills and retreats. Fuuuuuck . My hand moves faster. In my mind, Ivy tells me to fuck her harder. To fill her with my come. To make her pregnant .
Holy shit …with a loud groan I spurt all over my fingers and stomach.
God, the effect she has on me.
It’s not just sex with us. Like I told her, I want to marry her. Have kids. Build a future.
With our crazy chemistry, we’re gonna fuck like rabbits for the rest of our lives.
After a quick shower to wash the spunk off, I decide to tidy up the room in case Ivy and her friends decide to come back up here before housekeeping arrives. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. She and I have a lot to discuss. Things to figure out. I’m stressed about how her parents will feel about us being in a relationship.
Looking her dad in the eye after he finds out I’m the secret lover Ivy lost her innocence to will be tough. On both of us.
Once the suite is back in order, I leave the hotel and head straight to my parents’ house. I park in the driveway and head inside, the familiar scent of my mom’s cooking greets me as I step through the door.
My mom pokes her head around the corner. “Cillian?”
“Hi, Ma.” I give her a kiss on the cheek.
We step into the kitchen where my dad is sitting at the table with a steaming mug in hand. He looks up as I enter. “I didn’t expect to see you today. Want some breakfast and a coffee? ”
“Sure, thanks, Da.” I take a seat across from him. He pours me a cup, I take a sip and wait for a blessed jolt of caffeine.
He raises an eyebrow. “Something on your mind?”
“I need some advice. From both of you.” I take a deep breath, deciding to come out with it. “Ivy Bright and I… Um… err …”
Da leans back in his chair. “Aye. Go on, then.”
His acknowledgement doesn’t surprise me because of what I’ve previously confided, but I dive in. “I’ve never stopped loving her. Not for a second.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t hide your admiration at the party last night.” He rests his chin on his hand. “What’s the problem?”
I bury my face in my hands, then look back at him. “We, um, reconnected. She and I want to make it official but I’m not sure her dad, in particular, will be on board with his daughter dating me generally, let alone finding out it’s not our first rodeo.”
“Are you sure she’s the one for you? I’m not impressed with the lying part. She put you in a very precarious position.” Ma sounds pissed. She places a traditional Ulster breakfast on the table and returns with plates for her and my da.
I rub my hands nervously, I should have known Da would have told her what was what. “Please don’t hold it against her, Ma. Her personal family stuff and why she felt it necessary to lie about her age and identity is not my story to tell. Trust me when I tell you she’s taken full responsibility, as have I.”
“Sounds like the girl’s a bit of drama, so it does.” Ma tosses her head, a fierce protector of her sons to the umpteenth degree. In her eyes, I’m pretty sure none of us can do wrong.
“Please quit calling her a ‘girl,’ Ma.” I wince. “It’s a sore spot. The age difference is already significant, it’s an obstacle we have to deal with.”
My mom swishes her hand across her face. “Get over it, she was legal then and she’s legal now. I don’t give two shites about your age or hers. It’s the deceiving part I have a real problem with.”
My da watches our back and forth unbothered. “You want my advice, son?”
“Of course.” My heart pounds in anticipation.
He takes Ma’s hand. “Maureen, trust me on this. Anyone can see how Cillian feels about Ivy and how she feels about him. On the jobsite, neither of them go for more than a minute without putting eyes on each other. And last night? Jay-sus.” He turns to me. “You’re not as covert as you think, Casanova.”
A flush of embarrassment creeps up my neck. “Do you think Stan has picked up on it? ”
“Stanley Bright is a perceptive man, but with his cancer treatment, he hasn’t been around the two of you much.” He sops up some beans with his soda bread. “Ripping off the band-aid might give you and Ivy some relief, but he’s going through a rough time. Be patient. Make sure his health is your first consideration.”
Ma smacks the table. “Bullshit, Rory. They have a business relationship where honesty is key.” She grasps my shoulder. “Cillian, you need to prepare yourself. If he finds out you deceived him about the true nature of your relationship with his daughter all these years, how do you think he’ll feel? How will he be able to trust you?”
“It’s the dilemma. It’s one thing to say we’re dating now. Another to confess to what happened three years ago. We’re kind of damned if we do, damned if we don’t.” I feel nauseous at the choice we have to make. “Because Stan knows there was a guy back then, he just doesn’t know it was me. There’s a big part of me that thinks what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Maybe it’s none of his business, even. What do we gain by hurting him when what matters is how I treat her now.”
Da’s expression softens. “Stan’s been through a lot. Losing his son. Trying to be a parent to Ivy while grieving and running a billion-dollar business. He and I have gotten to know each other over the past few years, as you know. It’s funny, I remember him telling me he turned over many rocks trying to find out who the guy was before giving up.”
Shit .
“Well, I’m the guy, and I want to marry Ivy with his blessing.” I suck in a breath.
Ma raises an eyebrow. “Ach, son. Marriage? Either way, I dunno if you can expect a blessing .”
“Let me be the voice of reason.” Da crosses his arms as he often does when he’s about to make some proclamation. “If you and Ivy have worked out your past, it’s between you. It doesn’t matter what your parents think and you certainly don’t need any blessings. Your ma and I had you at nineteen and decided to move here from Belfast. Our parents did not support us but we did it anyway. There was tension for a long time but eventually, it all worked out because we were committed to each other and built our own family.”
My mom’s expression softens. “Aye, ’tis true.”
“What I’m trying to say,” Da continues, “is, if you’re serious about each other, make these decisions as a couple. Right or wrong, Don’t shy away from the hard conversations.”
“If Stan objects to our relationship, it could cost the company the Bright business.” I glance down at the table and back at my father.
Da presses his hands to the table and stands. “You need to decide what’s important to you and what you’re willing to risk. McGloughlin Construction is your legacy now, son. I’ll stand behind whatever decision you make.”
No wiser, but with plenty of input to consider, I help with the dishes, bid cheerio, and head to my townhouse.
Once I’m home, exhaustion overtakes me and I fall asleep. I wake up a few hours later to find I’ve missed a few texts from Ivy.
2:23 pm Ivy: Dad was tired so my parents went home. Meet us for dinner?
3:44 pm Ivy: I didn’t hear from you we’re at Pike Place Market
4:06 pm Ivy: Are you okay?
4:15 pm Me: Hey beautiful I was asleep. Someone kept me up all night ;)
4:17 pm Ivy: LOL. Dinner rezzies at 6 at Matt’s in the Market. Join us?
4:18 pm Me: No, you should enjoy your last night with your friends. Sleepover?
4:21pm Ivy: Yes! meet me at the hotel later.
4:23 pm Me: I’ll be there by 8
As excited as I am to spend the night with Ivy, the reality of our situation crashes down on me with a jolt. Tonight we have a hotel room, but tomorrow is a different story.
She still lives at home. If we have any hope of being a real couple, we need to tell her parents about us. Right away.
By tomorrow, she and I have to decide how we’re going to navigate the complexities of our situation.
Because, I’m not wasting another minute without her by my side.